ACT Liberal Senator Zed Seselja is going with rejuvenation of Canberra's outdated National Convention Centre over rebuild.
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In a pre-budget sweetener, Senator Seselja will on Thursday announce $15.9 million in ACT community infrastructure projects, including $8.76 million for upgrades to the National Convention Centre in Civic, the Mount Rogers Community Centre and the Tuggeranong Community Centre.
There is also $2.7 million for upgrades at Boomanulla Oval and Kaleen Oval and $2.7 million for a pathways, crossings and a pedestrian bridge in Ginninderra, while $1.7 million has been earmarked for increased lighting at bus shelters, skate park upgrades and safety improvements to play spaces.
"This will provide a vital boost for our local economy, backing local jobs and economic growth while delivering lasting upgrades that will benefit Canberrans for years to come," Senator Seselja said in a statement.
"This funding comes on top of more than $2.1 billion of investment in Canberra by the Liberal-National Government in recent years."
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Built in 1989, Canberra's National Convention Centre is regarded as dated and inadequate to hold major events. This week it hosted the members of the Australian and US military establishment at the Air and Space Power Conference.
Earlier this month, political rival, independent senate candidate David Pocock announced he was backing a multimillion-dollar concept design for a world-class multipurpose national convention centre and stadium complex as a priority nation-building project.
"We are the nation's capital. We currently can't hold major conferences," he told the ABC on Wednesday.
"We have got our universities taking conferences to Sydney because they can't bring the best in the world here to meet."
The new infrastructure upgrades are based on ACT government requests and are funded through the federal government's $2.5 billion Local Roads and Community Infrastructure program.
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